We are flying into Vienna May 25, 2016, spending the night, and then taking a train to Budapest the next day. Where would be the closest station in Budapest to where the riderships dock? Would it be possible to walk to the dock from the station, or if not, what's the best way to get to the docks? Am I making this easier than it seems? I know we buy our train ticket from Austria. Anything else I should know?
Posted by
Austin TX after living in Boulder CO for 25 years
1166 posts
The train station in Budapest is the Keleti train station.
We stayed in Budapest for 2 nights off of Brody Sandor and walked the few blocks from our B&B to our riverboat dock which was just south of the Elizabeth Bridge. You may need to ask the river cruise - our Ama cruise had a great map available online of the dock so we could easily find it.
If you are training in that day, it may be easy for you just to take a taxi if you did not want to purchase the river cruise shuttle service.
Posted by
Magyarország / Rep of Texas
17892 posts
If you get on the right train the 2.5 hour to 3 hour train ride will take you to Keleti Station. Some trains take some sort of circular route and end up at the Nyugati station but that takes hours and hours and hours. The Keleti Station is famous for the great migrant influx news footage on television, but things have returned to normal. Nyugati station is equal in size and importance and is famous for having been designed by Eiffel prior to that tower thing in Paris.
IF, you know which dock you are leaving from you could take a taxi. I suggest you only take a taxi that you yourself have called. So as you pull into the train station you pull out your cell phone and call City Taxi at +36 1 211 1111. They used to pick up at the entrance on Kerepesi út on the south side of the station but someone commented to me the other day that they were using the north side now; so ask the dispatcher. If there is any confusion simply ask if it is the side with the Chinese Restaurant (south side) or the opposite side. The ride should be about $10.
You could use the metro also, but it doesn't sound like you will be spending any time in town so ....
For orientation, the trains enter the east side of the train station.